Save The Cheetah #IntlCheetahDay

International Cheetah Day History

Dr. Laurie Marker

December 4 is the birthday of Khayam, a cheetah Dr. Laurie Marker founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, raised from a cub at Wildlife Safari in Oregon. Khayam was trained for the first research project in rewilding and the reason for her first trip to Namibia in 1977.

Dr. Marker took Khayam to Africa to see if she could be taught to hunt in the wild. During her stay in Namibia, Dr. Marker learned about how cheetahs were being exterminated by Namibian farmers who viewed them as vermin and she decided to do something about it. Dr. Marker became the cheetah’s champion because of Khayam and chose her birthday as a date to promote cheetah conservation in honor of her memory.

About Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF)

Cheetah photographed in Namibia by Joanne McGonagle

Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is the world’s leading organization dedication to saving the cheetah in the wild. CCF’s conservation programming is based on scientific research. They maintain a research program on the biology, ecology and genetics of cheetahs that publishes papers in peer-reviewed journals annually. CCF operates the only fully-equipped genetics lab at an in-situ conservation facility in Africa.

With research as the foundation, CCF has a set of integrated programs that address the threats to the cheetah and its entire ecosystem, including human populations. CCF’s guiding principle is that one must secure the future of the communities that live alongside the cheetah to secure a future for the cheetah. We must help people help cheetahs.

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Hi, I'm Joanne and I love all cats. With a Global Field Master of Zoology degree focused on big cat conservation, I like to learn and talk about big cats too. I share my habitat with Paul and we were adopted by our cats Annie, Eddie and Mercy. The Tiniest Tiger has a fierce following of cat lovers and we'd love it, if you'd join us.